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Handcuffed woman pulls ‘Houdini’ act, steals LAPD cruiser near Magic Castle

LAPD says the woman, still in handcuffs, maneuvered into the driver’s seat of the patrol SUV and drove off before abandoning the vehicle and escaping on foot

LOS ANGELES — A woman is on the run after a bizarre series of events in Hollywood, managing to steal a marked Los Angeles Police Department cruiser and evade capture — all while in handcuffs.

The incident began on June 23 near the intersection of Franklin and Orchid avenues, just steps from the iconic Magic Castle, according to Patch.com. Police say the woman, described as being around 35 years old, was with a man she had met about a week earlier. When the man declined her request to buy alcohol, he told FOX 11 she “went crazy on him.”

The situation escalated when the woman allegedly produced a knife, smashed the windshield of the man’s Porsche SUV and slashed two of its tires, FOX 11 reported. A nearby security guard alerted police.

LAPD officers arrived just before 11:50 p.m. and placed the woman in handcuffs, securing her in the back seat of a patrol SUV. But before officers could leave the scene, the woman somehow maneuvered her cuffed hands under her legs and managed to slip through a small partition window into the front of the cruiser, according to FOX 11.

Officers pursued the stolen cruiser on foot, but the suspect managed to escape. The marked police SUV was later found abandoned less than half a mile away near Camrose Drive and Paramount Drive, in the Hollywood Hills above the Yamashiro restaurant.

The woman was last seen wearing a gray Raiders hoodie and jeans, fleeing the area on foot and still wearing handcuffs. As of June 24, LAPD confirmed the suspect remained at large.

Police continue to canvass the neighborhood, asking anyone with information to contact investigators.

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Sarah Roebuck is the news editor for Police1, Corrections1, FireRescue1 and EMS1, leading daily news coverage. With nearly a decade of digital journalism experience, she has been recognized for her expertise in digital media, including being sourced in Broadcast News in the Digital Age.

A graduate of Central Michigan University with a broadcast and cinematic arts degree, Roebuck joined Lexipol in April 2023. Have a news tip? Email her at news@lexipol.com or connect on LinkedIn.